Most of my pre wedding thoughts about wedding dresses were about finding the perfect one and then having it altered to fit me like a glove. I didn’t think I would have post wedding thoughts about it except wondering if it will still fit 5 years from now and hoping to have the chance to wear it again one day for an anniversary shoot. Turns out I had more to think about. Cleaning it and storing it. The bottom got super dirty from dragging along the snowy/slushy winter ground. I also had no idea what to do with it other than leave it hanging in the closet of my old room at my parents house. I got my dress from Sinder’s so I asked them what to do.

I wanted to share some of their wisdom with you too. Her is what they said.

You planned, you waited, you finally got to walk down the aisle and say I DO with the one you love. So much time and planning leading up to the day, but what do you need to do after the 'I Do'?

One aspect is how to take care of your wedding gown, and believe me, you might be surprised at how your gown looks after the wedding. If your ceremony and reception are all inside then you might get away with a few scuffs and dirt marks, not too bad right? But if you plan on pictures outside, or a ceremony and/or reception outside then you might be looking at a bit more dirt... maybe some mud... sticks... leaves. We've seen it all.

Honestly do not let this worry you, the important thing is that you wanted to wear this gown on this incredibly special day and you should never hold back on how you want to celebrate that day because you're worried you might get the dress dirty. Most dirt and stains can absolutely be removed, but the biggest thing to remember is that time is of the essence in this case. You should be ready to clean your gown as soon as possible after your wedding so that the stains don't have time to set.

There are quite a few dry cleaners who are willing and able to clean a gown after it's been worn. If you want to preserve your gown as well (box it up as a keepsake) then this is definitely your best bet. Always call around to see if they are comfortable, and have experience working on wedding gowns, and it would be best to check for referrals as well. Online forums are a great source of information, or check with the shop from whom you bought your gown, they might have recommendations as well.

The other option is that maybe your bridal shop is set up for this service. Sinders Bridal House does offer this after the wedding, so if you aren't looking to have your gown preserved then you should check with your local shop to see what they can do. This has become more and more popular lately with the shift to multiple wedding dates - if you have a small ceremony now and plan to have a larger reception later when restrictions ease then you definitely want to be sure your gown is looking perfect after the first wearing.

If you're brave enough you can actually try to spot clean a bit at home as well. If there isn't anything on your gown that's very visible, just a couple places you want to touch up, then by all means soap and water is your go-to. Make sure your soap is as gentle as possible, no abrasive chemicals as that could damage the fabric. But otherwise just start small, start slow, and be very gentle. And worse comes to worse, if you aren't having any luck getting the spot out, or you get worried part way through, then call a professional and ask if they can take over.

When I say we've seen it all, I mean it. Add planning to have your gown cleaned right after your wedding into your pre-wedding planning, then forget about it until the wedding is over. Never let the worry of a stain dampen your celebration, just be prepared for after and everything will turn out perfectly!

I’m including some photos of my wedding dress because I love it so much!!